(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, a real estate broker, an associate real estate broker, or a real estate salesperson may not pay or offer to pay a commission to a lawyer simply for the referral of a person as a possible party to a residential real estate transaction.

(2) A real estate broker, an associate real estate broker, or a real estate salesperson may not solicit referral business from lawyers by a mass solicitation that offers to pay fees or commissions to the lawyers.

(b) Subsection (a)(1) of this section does not apply to payments or offers of payments to lawyers who hold a real estate broker license under this title or are otherwise entitled to a commission.

(c) Other than the commissions expressly prohibited, subsection (a) of this section does not prohibit the payment or the offer of a payment of a commission by a real estate broker, an associate real estate broker, or a real estate salesperson to a lawyer for any service that relates to a real estate transaction.